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0k.8191407.0.0&from=s1.8-1-1.2
- Stomp Out Loud
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1

Science & Engineering

Communication
2017-18, Semester 2
English for
ENG 2002S
 Today… 2

1. Announcements

2. Proof Reading
> for features of Technical Writing
o More Concise

o Inventions
Office Hours 3

• Starting after the holidays

• Change to 10.30 – 11.30
• Other times by appointment
Recommendation Report 4

topics
• Still only heard from a very small number of people
• Must be confirmed with me by the end of this week

Suggestion
• Consider basing your client on someone you know
• They don’t need to have made this specific request for
advice, but their personality and character might help you
to build a better profile.
Homework comments 5

• Thank you to those who completed the tasks

(notice has been taken!)
• Good work with “More concise”
 substantial reductions in length
~ still need to focus on language accuracy
• Very impressive on “Inventions”
 100% submission
  some groups did a LOT of work and discussion
• University recommendations on Wed / Thu
As you proof read… 6

• Think carefully about what you are looking for

• Ask Moose if you have any questions
• Remember – rules are guides and there are exceptions!

• Comments about your Rec Report during class are

welcome

• Mark changes on the text you are reading (constructive)

> compliments and criticisms
• Return to Moose at the end of class
Proof read #1 7

More concise?
• Please write your name & class on the top right corner of
the text you’re editing

• Reviewing basic features of technical writing

• If you finish checking this text
Review your own ‘more concise’ piece
(available on Moodle if you did the homework)
Basic checks… 8

• Meaning unchanged
• Spelling, grammar, punctuation mistakes
o Common grammar mistakes: tense (verbs), prepositions, articles
(nouns), ~s (verbs > plural / singular & S-V agreement)
• 1st / 2nd person pronouns
- used in the original?
• Style of the original (formal / informal), for example…
o Contractions
o Cliches
o Language choice
Concise Because a great many of the words in this
sentence are basically unnecessary, …
9

• Unnecessary words
Phrasal Verbs
various differences, true facts, terrible tragedy,
future plans, end result, unexpected surprise
• Redundancy Verb + Preposition
The very large man, in the black
• Adjectives & Adverbs Hold upleather
> delay
vest with long hair, …

•
Carry on > continue
Make adjectives adverbs
Find out“on a daily basis” > “daily”
> Discover
• Prepositional phrasesTurn down > reject
…of the basketball team of the University of North
Point out > explain
Carolina… > The UNC basketball team…
• Expletives
There are other steps a company can take… Phrasal Verbs
Verb + Preposition
Clarity 10

• Familiar content on left

• Subject as sentence focus

• Keep subject and verb together

• Important ideas at end of sentence (emphasis)

• Keep verbs as action words (don’t nominalise)

Cohesion 11

• Logical order of content

• Use of linking words
• Repetition of keywords
o Replace with synonyms and pronouns
o Pronouns used accurately
• Linking sentences
o A-B A-C A-D A-E …
o A-B B-C C-D D-E ….
Pairs 12

• Sort yourself into pairs alphabetically by your English

names

• Second proof reading you’ll do in pairs

• Work together, share ideas
• Make sure you get an invention that neither of you wrote
about originally
Proof read #2 13

Invention
• Again, please write your name & class on the top right
corner of the text you’re editing

• Keep in mind features just reviewed

• Make comments and suggestions on the text you get
• After you have marked this text, you are welcome to also
review your own ‘invention’ piece (available on Moodle if
you did the homework) if you wish.
Concise Because a great many of the words in this
sentence are basically unnecessary, …
14

• Unnecessary words various differences, true facts, terrible tragedy,

future plans, end result, unexpected surprise
• Redundancy
The very large man, in the black
• Adjectives & Adverbs leather vest with long hair, …

• Make adjectives adverbs “on a daily basis” > “daily”

• Prepositional phrases …of the basketball team of the University of North
Carolina… > The UNC basketball team…
• Expletives
There are other steps a company can take… Phrasal Verbs
Verb + Preposition
Clarity 15

• Familiar content on left

• Subject as sentence focus

• Keep subject and verb together

• Important ideas at end of sentence (emphasis)

• Keep verbs as action words (don’t nominalise)

Cohesion 16

• Logical order of content

• Use of linking words
• Repetition of keywords
o Replace with synonyms and pronouns
o Pronouns used accurately
• Linking sentences
o A-B A-C A-D A-E …
o A-B B-C C-D D-E ….
 Features of plain writing 17

1. Who is the audience? Write for those readers.

2. If mixed audience, address each group separately.
3. State purpose of document first, then the main point.
4. Put background information toward the end (if necessary).
5. Address the reader directly > use “you.”
6. Use active verbs and the active voice.
7. Use the passive voice only when it doesn’t matter who is doing
the action.
http://www.plainlanguage.gov